Ground-floor exhibition
Porcelain from China and Japan
European Porcelain

Through a selection of dinner services, individual showpieces and figural works, the permanent exhibition from the collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague (UPM) on the ground floor features Chinese and Japanese porcelain, which inspired early European production in the 18th century. The display on view in the adjacent room records not only the European porcelain industry, but also the fate of the exhibited objects‘ original owners who, during the 20th century, fell victim to the Holocaust.

These two displays provide an introduction to an extensive historical survey of Bohemian porcelain, shown on the chateau’s first floor. Mounted in the early post-war period, the installations were modified on several occasions in the past but their core and exhibition concept has remained unaltered. The porcelain collection testifies to the Museum’s endeavours to acquaint the public with its rich holdings, not only in Prague but in other regions as well.

First-floor exhibition
Bohemian Porcelain

Owing to the traditions of the local but renowned porcelain factory, the chateau in Klášterec nad Ohří is an ideal place to present the history of Bohemian porcelain. In the rooms on the first floor and set in the context of period furnishings, visitors have the opportunity to view the output of the foremost Czech porcelain works, as they changed in style over time. The selected ensembles exemplify the work of the Biedermeier period – the golden age of Bohemian porcelain-making. They also trace the development of the early industrial manufacture of Neo-Rococo and Art Nouveau porcelain ware. There are pieces illustrating the 20th-century era of modern styles, when Czech porcelain won international recognition, notably items made between the wars and those presented at the Expo ‘58 World’s Fair in Brussels. The exhibition closes with examples of design porcelain produced in series in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

An exhibition of porcelain from the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague

The chateau complex, situated on the left bank of the Ohře River, constitutes a dominant landmark in the town’s recently restored urban conservation area. The chateau is set in the middle of extensive landscaped grounds with 220 rare tree species from all over the world. The park features a sala terrena with a gloriette and sculptural decoration by Jan Brokoff, 1680s); the park’s northern section is graced with the Stations of the Cross (1690s).

Porcelain from the Museum of Decorative Arts in Praguepermanent displayKlášterec nad Ohří)

Porcelain from the collections of Museum of Decorative ArtsCoffee set with a painted vista of Vienna, Vienna, 1803Porcelain, colorful painting, gildingInscription: "Vue de la Capitale de Vienne, du cote de prism Belvedere"
The exhibit of the Jewish property, the original owner still unidentified.